ALBANY — More than 125 witnesses could be called to the trial of former Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, who faces federal charges that he enriched himself by improperly using his political position to benefit his business dealings.

The witness lists, filed by the prosecution and defense at U.S. District Court in Albany, include scores of names from both realms — suggesting that the trial will look deep into Bruno's public life and private wealth, as well as state government's murky ethics and disclosure rules.

The trial of the 80-year-old former Republican leader is slated to begin Nov. 2, and could last more than a month.

The defense identifies 119 people it may call, including many potential character witnesses. Federal prosecutors list 103 potential witnesses in their filings.

While the two lists are largely duplicative, there are some variations. Former Bruno chief of staff Marcia White, now head of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, is on government's list; former Senate Secretary Steve Boggess, now a lobbyist, appears only on Bruno's. Former Bruno staffers who could appear range from secretaries and travel escorts to top aides who counseled the senator on legal and finance issues. His daughter Catherine Hynes, whose tax documents are included on a defense team exhibit list, is listed as a witness for both sides.

Bruno was indicted in January on eight felony charges that allege he failed to disclose numerous conflicts of interest while he was being secretly paid at least $3 million for private consulting work that was never performed. The clients, according to the indictment, were people with an interest in state government, including Bruno's legislative decision-making and influence.

The indictment outlines numerous instances in which Bruno allegedly concealed his payments from people and organizations seeking an advantage in state politics, with the charges centered largely around horse racing and labor pension funds. From 1993 through 2005, all of Bruno's annual financial disclosures, required by the state's Ethics in Government law, contained false, misleading and incomplete information, the government alleges.

The defense team's exhibit list includes similar financial disclosure forms for 20 other lawmakers that may be used to underscore their theory that Bruno is being singled out and punished for practices regularly used by other lawmakers.

The public filing of the witness lists comes after people who testified before the federal grand jury say they have been aggressively pursued by Bruno's attorneys to discuss their testimony. The interviews are unusual, according to some area attorneys, and may be unnecessary because federal prosecutors have turned over transcripts of grand jury testimony.

A trial brief filed this week by Bruno's lead attorney, Abbe D. Lowell, highlights the defense team's position that Bruno is being targeted under a controversial theft of honest services charge they characterize as being "in a state of flux" in the courts.

"After years of investigation, the government cannot and does not allege that Mr. Bruno solicited or received any bribes or illegal gratuities," Lowell's brief states. "There are no allegations that he took kickbacks, engaged in threats or extortion, or misappropriated either federal or state funds.''

Indeed, Lowell said in his brief, the government's case against Bruno alleges crimes spanning 15 years with no conspiracy, racketeering scheme or co-defendants.

"What the government has decided to do is target what it alleges to be Mr. Bruno's nondisclosure of his part-time private employment as a consultant," the brief says. "The government's theory of the case transforms what are most likely civil offenses under state law into federal felonies, with a dramatic effect on the punishment as a result."

The government's case against Bruno, of Brunswick, is buttressed by three alleged state violations: nondisclosure of his business interests, conflicts of interest, and receipt of improper gifts. Lowell characterized the alleged crimes as "minor offenses" punishable under state law as misdemeanors or civil infractions, at most.

James Featherstonhaugh, an Albany lobbyist and lawyer who appears on both lists, said he was contacted by Bruno's lawyers recently to review his grand jury testimony. He said they were interested in his testimony about a land deal with Bruno involving the development of property in Rensselaer County at Grafton Lake. They also discussed the inner workings of the Legislature and lobbying disclosure rules, Featherstonhaugh said.

The government's witness list includes officials with the investment firms with which Bruno worked, McGinn Smith & Co. in Albany and Wright Investors' Services in Connecticut. The list also includes the names of top officials with corrections, police, laborers and other unions across the state. Union pension funds did business with the investment firms which Bruno worked for; prosecutors argue that Bruno used his influence to steer those unions to do business with his companies.

David Catalfamo, a former aide to Gov. George Pataki, appears on Bruno's list. He said he was asked by Bruno's attorneys recently about his knowledge of the Empire State Development Corp., where he was an administrator, and about how grants and venture capitol funds were awarded. Some of the people on the witness list were associated with businesses that may have received such funds.

In Gray's story, Bruno recounted being introduced to Wright Investors' Service by an unidentified friend more than a decade ago. He found the company "small, neat, clean, pristine," according to the article. Bruno also told Gray, "I provided the entree. In that business, the biggest problem is access. I provided access."

The access apparently was given to New York pension fund trustees who went on to place investments with Wright, allegedly at Bruno's urging.

There are also lobbyists, many of whom represent unions, including Thomas Hartnett and Floyd Holloway.

Several lawyers who served Bruno in the Senate are on the lists including Michael Avella, Kenneth Riddett, John Cordo and David Dudley, all of whom are now lobbyists, as well as legislative ethics counsel Frank Gluchowski.

Bruno's witness list includes former state Office of General Services Commissioner Kenneth Ringler, who has background on the process of awarding state contracts. Horse-racing enthusiasts, including some who sought the coveted rights to state thoroughbred tracks or had involvement in breeding, included Jerry Bilinski, a Columbia County friend of Bruno; real estate mogul Earl Mack, and Loudonville's Jared Abbruzzese, also a self-described close friend of Bruno's.

Others include people whom Bruno helped professionally, such as business owner Russell Ball, a roadway contractor, and his wife Dori Evans, a past political fundraiser for Bruno. Richard Kessell, head of the New York Power Authority, and formerly the leader of the Long Island Power Authority, is also a potential witness.

James M. Odato can be reached at 454-5083 or jodato@timesunion.com; Brendan J. Lyons can be reached at 454-5547 or blyons@timesunion.com.